Lot Essay

The present watch is a fine example of one of Blancpain's "Flying Carrousel" timepieces. Like the tourbillon, the carrousel counteracts and neutralizes the effects of deceleration and acceleration of the balance wheel caused by the gravitational attraction of the Earth. The balance wheel and escapement, the regulating organs of a watch, are influenced by gravity when they are positioned vertically. But when rotated by a tourbillon or a carrousel, they pass through all vertical positions in succession, cancelling out these inaccuracies.

Blancpain has mastered a remarkable challenge by reviving this complication, almost forgotten for more than a century, and using it in a wristwatch. A tourbillon consists of a rotating carriage; a carrousel, in contrast, consists of a platform on which the balance wheel and its bridge go round like a wooden horse on a merry-go-round, the reason for its name. Blancpain's carrousel is the first with a carriage that completes one revolution in exactly one minute. To allow the collector to admire this ingenious system, the carrousel is visible through an opening in the dial at 12 o'clock.

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Special Notice

Prospective purchasers are advised that several countries prohibit the importation of property containing materials from endangered species, including but not limited to coral, ivory and tortoiseshell. Accordingly, prospective purchasers should familiarize themselves with relevant customs regulations prior to bidding if they intend to import this lot into another country.